Piper PA-34-200T and Beech 95-B55 and Cessna 414A accident near Houston, Texas, November 11, 1983
On November 11, 1983 at about 10:46 pm local time, 3 aircraft, Piper PA-34-200T (N31856) and Beech 95-B55 (N25631) and Cessna 414A (N711RT), were involved in the same accident near Houston, Texas (Andrau airport). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The landing gear normal brake system was inoperative due to inadequate maintenance service of aircraft by other maintenance personnel.
See Cause FTW84LA056A
See FTW84LA056A
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1983 · about 10:46 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Andrau
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N31856 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870269
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 95-B55 · all 95-B55s on the register
- Registration
- N25631 · registry record · serial TC-1523
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 3
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N711RT · registry record · serial 414A0281
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-34-200T final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF 4 ACFT BACK TAXIED SOUTH ON RWY 16/34 TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH OF RWY 34. AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY, THE 1ST 3 ACFT HAD TURNED OFF ONTO A RUN-UP AREA & THE 1ST PLT HAD TAXIED INTO THE TAKEOFF POSITION WHEN THE 4TH ACFT ARRIVED. WHEN THE 4TH ACFT, PIPER PA-34, N31856, APPROACHED THE TURNOFF POINT, THE PLT APPLIED THE WHEEL BRAKES & DISCOVERED THE LEFT BRAKE TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HE RELEASED THE RIGHT BRAKE & UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO USE DIFFERENTIAL POWER & NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND AVOID A COLLISION. HIS RIGHT WING TIP SCRAPED THE RIGHT WING TIP OF CESSNA 414, N711RT, CAUSING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA, THE RIGHT WING OF N31856 IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING OF BEECH 95-B55, N25631. N31856 THEN SPUN AROUND & ITS PROPELLERS HIT THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE BEECH'S RIGHT WING & RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FOR THE LEFT BRAKE WAS EMPTY. AFTER SERVICING, IT OPERATED NORMALLY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech 95-B55 final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF 4 ACFT BACK TAXIED SOUTH ON RWY 16/34 TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH OR RWY 34. AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY, THE 1ST 3 ACFT HAD TURNED OFF ONTO A RUN-UP AREA & THE 1ST PLT HAD TAXIED INTO THE TAKEOFF POSITON WHEN THE 4TH ACFT ARRIVED. WHEN THE 4TH ACFT, PIPER PA-34, N31856, APPROACHED THE TURNOFF POINT, THE PLT APPLIED THE WHEEL BRAKES & DISCOVERED THE LEFT BRAKE TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HE RELEASED THE RIGHT BRAKE & UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO USE DIFFERENTIAL POWER & NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND AVOID A COLLISION. HIS RIGHT WING TIP SCRAPED THE RIGHT WING TIP OF CESSNA 414, N711RT, CAUSING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA, THE RIGHT WING OF N31856 IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING OF BEECH 95-B55 N25631. N31856 THEN SPUN AROUND & ITS PROPELLERS HIT THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE BEECH'S RIGHT WING & RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FOR THE LEFT BRAKE WAS EMPTY. AFTER SERVICING, IT OPERATED NORMALLY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 414A preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLTS OF 4 ACFT BACK TAXIED SOUTH ON RWY 16/34 TO TAKEOFF TO THE NORTH OF RWY 34. AT THE SOUTH END OF THE RWY, THE 1ST 3 ACFT HAD TURNED OFF ONTO A RUN-UP AREA & THE 1ST PLT HAD TAXIED INTO THE TAKEOFF POSITION WHEN THE 4TH ACFT ARRIVED. WHEN THE 4TH ACFT, PIPER PA-34, N31856, APPROACHED THE TURNOFF POINT, THE PLT APPLIED THE WHEEL BRAKES & DISCOVERED THE LEFT BRAKE TO BE INEFFECTIVE. HE RELEASED THE RIGHT BRAKE & UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO USE DIFFERENTIAL POWER & NOSEWHEEL STEERING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AND AVOID A COLLISION. HIS RIGHT WING TIP SCRAPED THE RIGHT WING TIP OF CESSNA 414, N711RT, CAUSING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE. AFTER CLEARING THE CESSNA, THE RIGHT WING OF N31856 IMPACTED THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WING OF BEECH 95-B55, N25631. N31856 THEN SPUN AROUND & ITS PROPELLERS HIT THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE BEECH'S RIGHT WING & RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO BOTH ACFT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR FOR THE LEFT BRAKE WAS EMPTY. AFTER SERVICING, IT OPERATED NORMALLY.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Piper PA-34-200T from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,822 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Howard Aviation
The flight
- Destination: T04 Georgetown TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,750 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from HOU, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 95-B55 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 780 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: NEW New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,750 ft by 50 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
The factual record for the Cessna 414A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 4TX6 Kilgore TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,750 ft by 50 ft
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.